Piercings & Tattoos?

[Champs94]

I am currently looking to go to uni and do a mental health nursing degree, the only issue is that I have a small wrist piercing, a wrist piercing and various other piercings etc.. being a mental health nurse, will I be allowed my visible piercings, if I can cover them up etc, or is there a zero tolerance on things like this? Would I be better doing a psychology degree?

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

our policy is to have tattoos covered and only one piercing in each ear with small jewelry. No jewely elsewhere that is visible.

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

I've never worked at a place that cared about piercings and tat's. The only rule is the tat's have to be tasteful (no naked ladies! - one coworker had to cover his up for this reason) and no dangling earrings because they could be pulled out. The dangling earrings thing wasn't very enforced - kind of "wear at your own risk". I had a tongue piercing and various ear piercings no one cared about and I've worked with nurses and aides with various facial piercings that no one cares about. I had the tongue piercing when I worked LTC and my residents LOVED it lol. They used to ask me to stick my tongue out at them so they could see it.

[timmedico]

Many facilities feel that visible tattoos and excessive piercings are unprofessional, so you'd have to cover up the tattoos and take out any rings and the like. It really does depend per facility. Regardless of your final choice, psychology is an amazing field of study! :)

[JZ_RN]

Depends on where you work, but no schools will allow you to have them, I'm sure. I always had to take out ALLLLL my piercings for school. No hair down. No nail polish. It was like Hell lol.

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

I used to paint my nails when I was on break from school...just because I could lol.

[SarcasticLVN]

I have a wrist tattoo (actually thinking about getting it removed) WMD I cover it either with tape or a sweat band.. A lot of people have visible tattoos at my work and we are suppose to keep the, covered but I'm the only one that does lol.

[Asystole RN]

I've never worked at a place that cared about piercings and tat's. The only rule is the tat's have to be tasteful (no naked ladies! - one coworker had to cover his up for this reason) and no dangling earrings because they could be pulled out. The dangling earrings thing wasn't very enforced - kind of "wear at your own risk". I had a tongue piercing and various ear piercings no one cared about and I've worked with nurses and aides with various facial piercings that no one cares about. I had the tongue piercing when I worked LTC and my residents LOVED it lol. They used to ask me to stick my tongue out at them so they could see it.

Very professional. Stay classy.

[LaRoseRN]

Totally variable. In school there was zero tolerance for visible piercings or tattoos. Everyone had to cover up. After being hired, I've seen plenty of coworkers/staff with all sorts of tattoos and piercings. I think some people choose to be more discreet about it than others -- nothing offensive. I'm sure it depends on the unit/facility policy but there doesn't seem to be a huge push to hide them where I work. I would be more worried about personal safety & out-of-it patients pulling them out.

Maybe try to network with someone in your area who works in your field of interest and find out what their employer policy is...that might give you a better idea of what to expect.

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

Very professional. Stay classy.

Oh come on. Nothing wrong with it. At least to me. And I don't have it anymore anyway.

[night-billy]

I have two forearm tattoos and I am required to cover them up at all times. I wear two Ink Armor sleeves: Cover Tattoo | Tattoo Cover Up | Tattoo Cover | Free Shipping U.S - TAT2X The above comments are correct in that it is going to vary from place to place. I would imagine that it is probably more restrictive with piercings. If it's on your wrist the watch idea seems like a good option or bracelets or the sleeves I wear in the wrist size or if it's not too hot long sleeves.

[bluemushroom]

Very professional. Stay classy.

Aw, come on now. Don't be like that. I used to flip my septum jewelry down for the residents all the time when I worked in LTC. They'd always ask what that shiny thing was in my nose if they caught a glimpse of it, so I'd show them. They loved it. They also loved all my ear piercings, and were fascinated by my chest microdermal.

OP, it depends on where you work. When I worked in LTC, no one cared how many piercings or tattoos were visible. The dress code where I work now is much more strict, but I just wear my hair down to hide my piercings.